Seth Fontenot's trial on murder charge delayed

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — Seth Fontenot's trial on charges of murder and attempted murder has been delayed for a fourth time when a Cameron Parish judge agreed to push the trial from Sept. 22 to Dec. 1.

The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/1mEa9LC ) retired District Judge Hadley Ward Fontenot signed off on the delay Monday while sitting in for Judge Edward Rubin, who was unable to preside at a hearing. That hearing also was delayed and has been rescheduled for Sept. 22.

Fontenot was an 18-year-old freshman accounting major at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette when he allegedly shot and killed 15-year-old Austin Rivault on Feb. 10, 2013.

The other boys also were hit and sustained minor injuries. Fontenot said he believed the youths were trying to break into his truck.

Fontenot was charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder. After the indictment, prosecutors said they would not pursue the death penalty.

In February, Rubin moved the trial's April start date to September because Fontenot had not received government funds to help pay for an investigator and expert witnesses.

Rubin took over the case in January after Judge Kristian Earles returned to the bench in Acadia Parish, which along with Lafayette and Vermilion parishes, is part of the 15th Judicial District. Earles, in the months after Fontenot was indicted, ordered the 15th District Public Defenders Board to use its government funds to help pay for Fontenot's expert witnesses and investigators. Rubin said he was bound to Earles' order.

Rubin also has continued Earles' gag order, which prohibited attorneys and others intimately involved in the case from talking to media about specifics.